Arcadia

[size=1]I think that we're jumping the gun a little here, guys. A lot of people have [b]finals[/b] and are only just getting out of school for winter break. That kind of stuff does take up a lot of time. Plus, I'm sure others are vacationing and might not have immediate access to the internet. This is most definitely not the end of the RPG, I can assure you, and I don't think resorting to new students or changing it to a chapter system will actually speed things up at all. [/size]

[size=1]Actually, I already bought the book. ^_^;; I haven't started to read it, though, because I wanted to wait and see how everything got set up. But yes, obviously, I'm all for the book club. As for the schedules.. I can finish a book pretty quickly, so for me, time shouldn't be a problem, even when school starts back up. But I do think that's something we should remember - most people are on or will soon be on winter break and that probably gives them more time. Once classes resume in January, though, that could be cut down drastically (hopefully not o_O). So .... what is good for everyone else? I'd say that two weeks seems appropriate, but if that's not realistic for somebody else, [i]please[/i] speak up. There shouldn't be any rush to finish books, no stressing out - it's about having fun and reading a variety of good books. ^_~ Anyway. I think we could probably use OB's calender to keep track of our book deadlines. I think you can give yourself notices with that, so you can keep yourself aware of where you are in the schedule and all that.[/size]

[size=1][color="#FF9900"]I'd like all of you to read over the [url="http://otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=44318"]sticky at the top of the Square[/url], as well as OB's basic rules before you post again. First of all, [b]all threads must have a rating[/b] - when I closed this in the Square, I know I included that as part of the terms for re-opening this tournament. Second, there is no double posting anywhere on the boards. Simply edit your previous post and add to it. Third, there is an emphasis on quality in the Arena. We'd like it if you put a little more time and thought into your battles and into the actual characters. The more details you have and the more dynamic they are, the better the actual story will be. Again, read through the sticky. You can find information about the ratings and spars that will help you to better use the forum. I'm closing this thread now. If there's anything from it you want saved, copy and paste it now because in a few days it will be deleted. You have one more chance to get this right. If you'd like to set the tournament up, you may, but you [b]must[/b] adhere to OB rules and the guidelines laid out in the sticky. If you have any questions about this, please don't be afraid to PM me - I'd be more than happy to help. - Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1][color="#FF9900"]OliverWhip, please make sure you read through both OB's rules and the Square's sticky before you post in the Square. [b]All threads must have a proper rating in their title[/b] or they will be closed. Also, a little more time and effort could be put into the RPG itself - it doesn't have to be epic, but we ask for a few decent paragraphs in order to get it off the ground. Take [url="http://otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=44318"]this link[/url] to learn more about these rules. This thread is now closed, and will be deleted in a few days time. However, if you'd like to give this idea another go, you can. Just make sure that next time you include the rating and follow the Square guidelines. ^_^ Thanks, Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1][color=#FF9900]Mysterious-Inu, please read through both the forum stickies and OB's rules. Both are pivotal in helping you better understand and post in the boards, especially when it comes to the Arena. If you'd like to begin an RPG, for instance, you post a recruitment thread in the Inn first. Also, all threads [b]must have a rating[/b] or they will be closed (you may see James's newest announcement for details; this will also be included in a new sticky very shortly). Please read through the Square's ratings sticky and choose one that you think is most appropriate. Ugamon, thank you for trying to help us out, but next time leave those sort of posts to the moderators. If you find something like this again, just click the exclamation point in the top right cornor of the post in order to alert us. We'll take care of it as soon as we can. ^_^ Thanks, Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1][color=#FF9900]It's all right to give an RPG another shot, but because of the apparent lack of interest in this one and the fact that it's really, really old, I'm a little concerned that it won't stay active. More importantly, however, this thread does not have a rating. Because of current rules in the Adventure Square concerning thread ratings (please see [url=http://otakuboards.com/announcement.php?f=46]the newest announcement for more information[/url]), this thread will be closed and then deleted in a few days. If you would like to try and revive the RPG, then you may post it again, as long as you include a proper rating. If you have any questions or concerns, you can PM myself or terra. Thanks, Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1]Everyone else has already quoted a lot of my favorite parts, heh, so I won't bother to do that. But I still love the way you explain changes on the boards in Enter The Net. And like Shin mentioned, your writing style itself is awesome - very subtle and witty, and very easy to read. And, before I forget ... YAY I HEART THE KEI-STER WHEE FOR GOOD STORIES!! .... Ahem. Good show, old chap. I'll be looking forward to the next one in a most serene and refraining manner. ^_~[/size]

[size=1]Certainly not for the first time, Aya wondered why she continued to attend her transformation lessons. No one ever turned into something [i]interesting[/i], and it had been a long time since something interesting actually happened. She still had vivid memories from her second year when another girl tried to turn herself into a zebra. She was only partially successful, and Mrs. Subamai had ended up cancelling the rest of the class because she had to help the student correct her rather long, narrow face and, er, [i]fashionable[/i] black and white stripes. With a pitiful sigh, Aya took a moment to "transform" herself.... by pulling her mask around and fixing it on her face. A student next to her (who had changed into a bird) ruffled his feathers nervously. She turned to look at it and grinned under her mask. "Hello there, pretty birdie." The green and yellow parrot gave an indignant squawk and said in his broken parrot voice, "Bad girl, naughty girl. No yum-yum." Aya wiggled her fingers at him and made a strange cooing sound as she climbed onto the top of her desk in a very cat-like manner. "Nice parrot," she purred, arching back as though she were about to pounce. And then she did. "Come to momma!" The bird, however, was prepared for this and took to flying around the cieling of the room, squawking up a racket. Aya pouted, watching him with clever eyes, now crouched on a different desk. Mrs. Subamai had previously been attending to the sour Imric and had only just escaped a nice, toasty death when she caught sight of the new chaos. She asked herself why she couldn't have [i]normal[/i] students, just once, as she gave Imric the evil eye and then stalked towards the mess, careful not to step on the hyper-active mouse that scampered giddily back and forth across the floor. When she reached the center of the lecture hall, she took a deep breath and then bellowed, "STOP CAUSING CHAOS IN MY LECTURE HALL!!" There was a rumor circulating that even though she seemed like a nice enough lady, Mrs. Subamai transformed into a fearsome, hideous beast that could breathe fire, crunch bones, and all sorts of other delightful/nasty things. And when she yelled like that, most students believed it. The parrot landed carefully on Mrs. Subamai's outstretched hand and ruffled his feathers at Aya, who slunk back to her normal seat, her mask still firmly in place. Talking calmly once again, the green and yellow parrot/student/guy now whistling pleasantly on her shoulder, Mrs. Subamai began, "Now, for today's lesson..."[/size]

[size=1][color="#993366"]taichathewise, please read through the Inn's stickys before you post or make any more threads. There is no double posting allowed anywhere on the boards. If you've got more information to add, just edit the previous post. Please delete the second post here and do exactly that. Also, all threads in the Inn [b]must have a proper rating[/b] or they [i]will[/i] be closed. Again, read the stickies. They are very important - that's why they're there, after all. ^_~ - Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1]My favorite part is definitely the graveyard, heh. I like the idea of it consisting of all the old, dead threads and members and stuff like that. Poor Star Wards thread. ^_^;; That, and all the cameos and cheap shots are awesome. I'm sure this is only the beginning, too. I'm definitely looking forward to some sexy, sexy Shy action. ^_~[/size]

[size=1]Ooooh, it's so flowy and pretty! I love the Queen's hair, especially, and the cute little ruffles on her arms. It's simple, but lovely, very sweet and yet still sexy. That, and plushie Ken has some darn spiffy plushie hair! With ink and pencils and some nice, light colors, it'll be a gorgeous drawing. ^_^[/size]

[size=1]There's a lot of factors that go into an issue like this that make it difficult to pinpoint any specific explanation of why girls behave they way they do, why we (both men and women) push ourselves to diet and exercise to sometimes an almost unhealthy degree, why we set these celebrities and cover girls and guys as the figures that we need to model ourselves after. I don't know why, but I know that the problem has been around for a long time and it effects most everybody. I am by no means fat, but for the longest time I was uncomfortable with myself. I never thought that I was overweight in the slightest, but "American beauty" isn't just about being skinny. I was short, I was (and still am, to some degree) a tomboy, I was shy and quiet, and thin as a stick, absolutely no curves whatsoever. I did [i]not[/i] feel beautiful, regardless of what any one might have thought or said. Frankly if I found out a boy liked me it surprised and amazed me. Looking back, I realize that I was and still am lucky to have the parents that I do - even when I wasn't sure of myself they were always there to reinforce the fact that [i]normal[/i] is undefinable because it's a matter of opinion and that I would never be more beautiful than I am when I love myself, no matter what I look like. Because of that, then, my perception of myself has always been effect by how I view myself in terms of values and beliefs as well as my appearance. If I wasn't happy with something I did or said, then I would feel ugly, regardless of any physical merits. In the end, I think it's just a matter of growing into yourself. It may not be the same for everybody, but I can safely say that I'm comfortable with who I am mentally and physically no matter what I see on TV. Like others have mentioned, you can never be perfect - we all have flaws. But you should learn to love those flaws. It's not about what others think of you - it's about what you think of yourself. For instance, I have [i]tiny[/i] breasts, a funny little nose, and big cheeks, none of which would ever make it on the cover of Cosmo (or what have you), but I'm [i]glad[/i] for them because they're mine. If I work out it's because I want to - it actually makes me feel better and gives me energy. The same with eating healthy, as Sara/Lore mentioned. And it would probably be good to remember that part of a celebrity's [i]job[/i] is to exercise regulary and eat certain things - they have personal trainers and nutritionists who they pay to watch those things for them. I also think that while a lot of hollywood is still disgustingly thin and plastic surgery is much too glamourous for its own good, there's also a lot of people there who reinforce the idea that beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. Marilyn Monroe was [i]not[/i] a stick. Look at Queen Latifah. She got a breast [i]reduction[/i]. Also, the Bridget Jones movies are all about loving yourself and being comfortable with who you are, no matter what size waist you are. Anyway, that's my rambly two cents. lol[/size]

[size=1][color="#993366"]You've got a good idea here but in order for this RPG to continue, foreverinfinity, you're going to have to flesh it out a little more. Add some details, maybe talk about existing bands in this little universe (if there are any) or a possible goal to work towards, like an eventual Battle of the Bands gig. If you put a little time and effort into it, it shouldn't take you too long to add a couple more paragraphs. When you broaden the story a little more, I'd also run it through a program like Word so that you can catch any spelling or grammar mistakes. It'll make your post much easier to read and understand and it shows that you did put the effort into making this a quality RPG. Your thread also needs a rating, and will be closed if one is not assigned to it soon. Just read through the Ratings Sticky and choose one that you think is most appropriate. PM it to me and I can fix it for you. Remember to read through the stickies - they wouldn't be there if they weren't important! - Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1][color="#993366"]Cysword6, please put a little more effort into your story. If you want the RPG to stick around, you should add a couple more paragraphs to your backstory. Add some details, or an example of the strange way in which one of these kids got their digimon and crests. The more people have to work off of, the better their sign-ups and the eventual RPG will be. This thread also needs a rating. Read through the Ratings Sticky and choose one that you think is most appropriate to your RPG, then PM it to me. Also, Kittychanann, I'd appreciate it if you put a little more thought into your sign-up as well. If you're rushed, then wait until you have time. It's better than putting up something that's half-baked and then getting a moderator on you because of it. To everyone in this thread and those who read this thread and those who don't read this thread: [b]There is no excuse for not reading the stickies, so please make sure you do so.[/b] Thanks, and have a super swanky day. :p - Arcadia [/color][/size]

[size=1][color="#993366"]Zenger, as you've previously been told, all RPGs first start in the Inn where you can introduce your story and recruit members. Be sure to read through the stickies so you can get a better understanding of what exactly is required. Skillgannon, while your intentions are good, please leave this kind of thing to Mods. It's our [i]job[/i] to do this, after all, so please let us do it. Next time you come across something like this, just warn us by clicking the little exclamation point at the top of each post. If either of you have any questions or concerns, PM a Mod and let one of us know. - Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1][color="#993366"]I'm not really sure what this is. If it's an RPG, you should know that recruitment starts in the Inn. If this is spiritual advice, you should probably keep it to your myOtaku - it definitly doesn't belong in the Square. Either way, you [i]both[/i] need to read through the site's rules before you do any more posting on the boards. If you have any questions or comments, PM myself or terra and let us know. Otherwise, this thread is closed. - Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1][color="#993366"]Roronoa Zoro, the thing is, [b]all RPGs must have some kind of plot[/b]. It's part of the rules, which you may read up on in the stickies at the top of this forum. We'd like it if all RPGs had at least a few decent paragraphs of backstory, as well. Even if you're just introducing the life of a pirate, the Southern Blue Pirates as a whole, or pirates in action as they pillage and plunder, you're going to need those paragraphs in order to keep the thread open. Sorry, buddy, but that's just the way the boards work. If you have any questions or comments, please PM me or terra and we'll help you out. Otherwise, please edit this thread to include some kind of backstory or I'll be forced to close it. You seem to have put some effort into your character, so it shouldn't be too hard to put the same effort into the story. Thanks, Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1]I just thought I'd throw in my two cents real quick-like. ^_~ Sage [i]darling[/i], that's a gorgeous picture. I really love the colors to it, especially the blue-ish background. It definitely has the same feel to it that your chapter did, dealing with Viveca and what I kind of think is her inherent sadness. You have such a unique style of drawing anyway; it almost reminds me of the way mythology is represented in pictures. Always a joy to look at. ^_^ And Ben. My dear, dear Ben. There's not much that I can say about your post that Shy already didn't. Reading Larry's story really makes you feel for him and you want to sympathize with him, even though you know he's being drawn into doing very bad things. There's that, and the little touches you have (like the last line that Shy quoted ^_~) that really make for an awesome post. Next time, just don't make us wait so long. :p [/size]

[size=1][color="#993366"]We really encourage all members to finish their RPGs [i]before[/i] they post them up into the Inn. Just save it into a program like Word and continue to add to it and edit until you feel it's ready for a go. Unfinished threads are not cool. I'd also like for you to read over the Inn's stickies, specifically the one concerning thread ratings. Team Hanzo has been working hard to insure that all appropriate threads have a proper rating. Please let me know what yours should be (by PM, preferrably), and I can change it for you. If you've got any questions, just let me or another moderator know. Thanks, Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1]I think that you're definitely capable of writing a story with such a broad scope. You have the ability to be very imaginative and your style has always seemed very natural and witty to me. And like the Swedish Empress has already determined, it would be very interesting to see how the innkeeper's story unfolds in regards to his relationships with friends and foes alike. So you definitely have something that has the potential to be very big and very cool. If you ever want to discuss ideas or get feedback, I'd be more than willing to help you out. ^_~[/size]

[size=1]Oh my god, that explains [i]so[/i] much! :eek: Heh, it's nice to read these again, although part of me can't believe how long ago they actually were. Scary thoughts. But the fact that they're both well written and quite funny helps to alleviate my pitiful, worrisome mind. Good stuff. ^_~[/size]

[size=1][color="#993366"]This thread is a little too chaotic so I'm going to close it. Why, might you ask? Well, let me explain. There is no story. All I see is that it's based on anime pictures of characters that various members have created, there are vampires involved, and it's set in Scotland. While it is a start, it certainly isn't enough to be taken as a finished product. All RPGs must have three or four paragraphs of backstory if they are to exist in the Inn. Now, this could be because this thread orginally started in the Underground and it wasn't meant to be any kind of recruitment thread. I'm getting the idea that Sonata was going to create a story off of characters that people "donated" to her idea. But people got confused, thinking this was where they actually had to sign up, which of course led to moving the thread into the Inn. I could be wrong, but the very fact that there's this much confusion over it is enough for me to close it down for now. Sonata, if you'd like to rework this a little and make your intentions a little more clear (while of course following all of OB's rules ^_~) then I don't see why you can't try this again. On a different note, I'd like to advise a few of you to be mindful about the quality of your posts. Not just in terms of grammar and punctuation, but also in creativity and detail. Because I don't know exactly what this thread [i]is[/i], I can't really go into specifics. So just pay a little more attention to your posts. ^_^; Also, Archangel 9, I'd appreciate it if you read through the Inn's stickies. We don't tolerate one-line posts in the Arena, especially within recruitment threads. If you have any questions or comments about the RPG, please PM them to the creator, who can either PM you back or add additional information to the thread. This helps to keep the thread clutter free so that those who are looking for certain details won't have to worry about sifting through all the spam. If there are any questions or concerns about this, please PM me and let me know. Otherwise, the thread is now closed. - Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1]Right now, I'm of the mind that when I get married, I'll probably keep my last name. Obviously, it's a pride thing. When you grown up with a surname like mine, it takes a long time to learn to love it. Eventually I did, and I'm proud of it, and I'm proud of my family, and I want people to know that. Of course, that could change entirely when I finally meet the guy I'm going to marry. It's the same thing with children. I'm not worried about continuing my name, as I do have a brother, but when I actually give birth to the damn things, I might want them to have my name as well. I'll cross those bridges when I get to them. ^_^;[/size]

[quote name='James][color=#707875']But still, I think there's plenty to work with here. On the one hand, we would be creating a new universe, so we wouldn't have to worry about being inconsistent with what is established. The story and everything would be somewhat new. However, we can borrow from existing elements and twist them around, to incorporate them into the new landscape. This could also be fun for people who aren't even knowledgable about Zelda at all, because really, they can still follow everything as though it's totally new.[/color][/quote] [size=1]I like to think I know a little bit about Zelda (mostly Ocarina of Time), but even then, it's good to know that this kind of RPG would be open to just about anyone because it's definitely one I could get interested in. I [i]love[/i] the idea of converting everything into a very Nightmare Before Christmas-esque theme, and on such a big scale. It could be quite awesome, heh. Slightly mental, but still awesome. And like you and Des both mentioned, there's a huge potential for humor in it, as well as the more mature violence and ghastly atmosphere, so I think a [i]lot[/i] of people could really get into it (provided they [i]liked[/i] Nightmare Before Christmas, heh). It seems like there will be something for everyone. ^_^[/size]

[size=1][color="#993366"]It's no wonder that you're all confused because there is no RPG here at all. LashamaruChaos, I'm not even sure what to say. You don't even have a story here, so I don't understand why this was even posted. One thing is for certain, however - [b]you need to read through the Inn's stickies.[/b] All RPGs must have [i]some[/i] kind of story, and you need to have at least three or four paragraphs to show for it before you can even think of starting another RPG. Please edit this thread and try again, or it will be closed. I'd also encourage anyone else not to post here until these changes have been made. - Arcadia[/color][/size]